Resurrection
by keroberros
Summary: Ichigo may have regained his powers, Aizen may have been sealed away and Byakuya may have realised that there is something about the substitute shinigami, but there is a new force on the horizon that is bent on revenge. Byakuya/Ichigo
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach. This is a work of fan fiction and as such I make no money from it.

**A/N:** Welcome to Volume I of the Resurrection Series. Just a quick note on characters and other random things before you start reading. The Bleach universe contains a lot of characters, most of which will be active in this. Not ordinarily a problem but over time people do change. Because of how long after the Winter War this is set, some characters have changed however mildly, and events will be alluded to that have been invented. To prevent having to do every single character's backstory every other chapter and making this long and boring, there will be a series of one-shots for certain key characters detailing what has happened to them and why they behave like they do. Naturally, there will be prompts on when you should read these if you wish to.

The main pairing for this story is shounen-ai (male/male). If this bothers you then I would suggest hitting the back button in your browser now. For those who are merely looking for lemon I suggest you do the same as this will contain no lemon despite the M rating. This story is about the characters involved and not the physical manifestation of their relationship.

A note on language: I am by no means a fluent speaker of Japanese, but names will follow traditional Japanese form including honourifics: Kuchiki-taichou rather than Captain Kuchiki etc. Also, you will come across the odd Japanese word as well so for those of you who have seen the anime etc. then you should have no problem reading this as there will only be small words used such as "arigatou" and "hai". I like to keep things as authentic as possible but at the same time know that it is not entirely possible in all cases.

Thanks for braving the author's note this far and I hope you enjoy _Resurrection_.

**Resurrection**

**Prologue: A Place to Think**

_And here in my place of secrets I find that at last I can think clearly  
><em>_That I can think clearly of you and what you mean to me_

He sighed. Yet again it seemed as though the trees could not make up their mind. It was not as if they had a mind of their own to begin with, yet the constant changing that they had been undergoing was yet to cease. The trees could not make up their mind. No, perhaps it was not the trees. Knowing this place as he did, he knew that it could not be the trees, but rather himself that could not make up his mind. It was not the trees choosing to fluctuate between barrenness and blossoms but rather his own inner turmoil. It would have made him laugh if he partook in that sort of thing. The trees of the plane had been in that alternating state for the past few days and already Byakuya was growing tiresome of it. He was sure that Senbonzakura was too.

He glanced to the left where a lone tree was unaffected by his influence. It was bare, little more than a shadow of what it had once been when in bloom. It had been that way for more years than he could care to remember. He wondered whether it would ever return to some semblance of its former glory, yet some part of him, knowing what it represented, had come to terms with the fact that it would not.

Hisana.

That one word alone was all he needed to instantly quell such thoughts of restoration. The tree would never bloom again.

"Are you merely going to stand there or are you going to join me, Byakuya?"

He did not reply, merely walked slowly to the edge of the small pond that inhabited the plane, lowering himself gracefully to the grass beneath one of the numerous trees present. It seemed that there was another that was unaffected by the noble's influence, yet unlike the previous one, the tree beneath which he sat was covered in cherry blossoms. He was curious as to why the tree appeared to be this way, but brushed those thoughts aside at the words his companion next spoke.

"You seem to be coming here more and more lately, why?"

Byakuya glanced to his right at the figure sitting there. He was clad in clothing similar to the taichou, but in varying shades of silver and rose; without the accompanying haori. The colours swirled together much like the thousands of tiny, fluttering blades that made up Byakuya's zanpakutou.

"You know why," he simply replied.

His companion chuckled before saying to him, "So cold, even to your own zanpakutou." He became serious again a moment later however, "Of course I know why you are here, Byakuya. I would like to hear you say it though."

Silence reigned. A chill wind passed through the plane, sweeping strands of kenseiken clad hair across Byakuya's face. He did not move. Both men merely looked at the pond before them as if it held all the answers that they sought.

He could not tell how long he had been merely staring and contemplating but he was surprised that his zanpakutou had remained silent for so long. It was not normally in the man's nature, but he was thankful for it nonetheless. His hot-headedness, as it were, would have been too much for him to deal with at that moment. He sighed again.

"I come here to think," he told the man.

"About what?"

Byakuya frowned. "You really want me to admit it don't you? You know very well that I could just leave."

"You could," his counterpart nodded, "but you won't. You know that if you admit to why you have been coming here so often you are really admitting to more. The thought of that scares you…no, it terrifies you."

They were engulfed in silence again.

Byakuya knew that the man was right. How could he not when they were two parts of the same? Yet he was still reluctant to admit to anything more out loud. It was true that he had come here, to his inner world, to think as he had always done. However, it had been many years since he had retreated here for such long and consistent periods of time. Not since Rukia's supposed trial had he been here as often as he had these past few days. Thirteen days. He had been brooding on this problem for the past thirteen days. No, he had often thought of the problem throughout the years, but he had not obsessed over it, been consumed by it before like he had the past thirteen days. It occupied too much of his time. He never thought he would feel lucky for not having a fukutaichou.

"Thirteen days, Byakuya. How much longer are you going to deny everything?"

He did not reply. He seriously considered leaving but he knew that it would be pointless. Senbonzakura would merely confront him the moment he deigned to return. If he was going to admit anything it would be on his terms and not those of his zanpakutou. But was this something that he was ready to admit? After all, it was not as though anyone else would know, but the fact that he could not even admit it to himself was mildly disconcerting. He had never been one to shirk away from the truth of any situation; except this one. Why was he so unwilling to admit it?

"You feel that it will change everything," his zanpakutou replied to his unasked question.

"It will," Byakuya stated.

"Not unless you want it to."

Not unless he wanted it to change. It was perhaps a foolish belief on behalf of his zanpakutou and one made to no doubt soothe him in some way. If he was to admit to what had been occupying his thoughts so much then things would change. Maybe not externally for anyone to see, but Byakuya would know and that was change enough. It was not something to be taken lightly they both knew.

Byakuya sighed yet again.

"You will not let this drop will you?"

"Iie."

"Souka."

Silence except for the continued assault of the harsh wind upon them. A single sakura petal drifted its way on to Byakuya's knee. Carefully, he removed it from where it had settled and placed it in to the palm of his hand. He gazed at it intently.

"There is something about him that has caught my attention."

"Who?"

Byakuya clenched his jaw. He had hoped that his previous statement would have been enough for Senbonzakura to drop the subject. Was that not confession enough? They both knew of whom he was speaking and yet it seemed that his companion would not be satisfied until he said it aloud. He could not say it. He would not say it. Saying it aloud would make it tangible; a fact; something that he could not then continue to deny or then retract.

"Who?" his zanpakutou pressed.

Byakuya's fist enclosed on the petal tightly, his knuckles beginning to whiten further than the pale tone of his skin. It seemed that there would be no other way to end the zanpakutou induced torture that he was under. No matter how much he did not want to say it he would have to. He opened his hand again, the crushed petal floating gently to the grass.

"Kurosaki Ichigo."


	2. Chapter One

**A/N:** Thank you for choosing to continue with _Resurrection_! Special thanks to all of those who have favourited this story; have decided to follow it and have reviewed it. I'd love to know what people think and if they have any problems or questions and so you can review at any time.

**Chapter One: Essence**

_It is more than simple words can express and yet at the same time it is less_

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

Byakuya closed his eyes at the confession. He had been correct. He could no longer deny what had been slowly gnawing away at him for years; what had begun to consume his thoughts.

"Hai, Kurosaki Ichigo," his zanpakutou stated.

Byakuya slowly opened his eyes and focused upon the surface of the shimmering pond before him. The two men fell in to a comfortable silence, the harsh wind that had previously surrounded them easing away at the noble's confession. A warm and gentle breeze replaced it, a breeze that he was accustomed to feeling here in his inner world. It was remarkably comforting at any time but especially now. It felt as if perhaps things could finally go back to the way that they had been. Feeling this, Byakuya was slightly dismayed to note that the sakura trees had yet to return to their previous splendour. He frowned. Senbonzakura merely chuckled at his master's expression.

"Byakuya, you have barely scratched the surface. Do not expect things to return to as they were so quickly."

"Things can never revert back to what they were, Senbonzakura," he said thinking of the tree that represented Hisana and the time that he had had with her.

It was the truth after all that he could never regain that which had been lost to him, and yet for the first time since the demise of his late wife, he felt that perhaps he was okay with the thought of things never being able to be what they once had. It was a revelation in itself and one that he was sure he could attribute to his confession.

"There is one thing that I do not understand, Byakuya"

He glanced at his zanpakutou to show that he should continue with his enquiry.

"What is it about the boy that has you like this?"

The question was a surprise to Byakuya and not one that he had expected. It was not a question that he felt he even had an answer to himself. His zanpakutou's questioning on the matter merely confirming it. Though of course there were matters that he kept hidden from his companion, he had always consciously done so. Therefore, it stood to reason that either he himself did not know the answer to such a question, or that he was now subconsciously concealing things from Senbonzakura.

"I do not know," he simply replied.

They sat in contemplative silence, Senbonzakura musing over the possibility that Byakuya did not realise just how strongly, how deeply he felt for the orange-haired Shinigami. Naturally, the zanpakutou knew what his wielder could not quite admit to himself or see, but he had yet to be able to understand or find a reason as to why Byakuya felt that way.

The noble in question was trying to come up with an answer for his companion. _What is it about Kurosaki Ichigo that has me like this? It is more than just a passing fancy or physical attraction to the boy,_ he thought.

"It is not the way he moves and it is not the way he looks. It is not the way he holds himself and it is not his resolve. It is his soul, his very essence that calls to me."

Senbonzakura remained silent, slightly shocked by the words that Byakuya had spoken. He had expected to have to work at extracting such information from his master. He was even prepared to have to have another 'intervention'. However the information had been offered willingly.

Senbonzakura's delicate features soon became marred by a frown though. The last part of the statement troubled him. As a zanpakutou he was naturally privy to more information concerning not only his master's soul,v but souls in general. Yes, this last section troubled him. He had a very good idea what it meant and suspected that Byakuya had none whatsoever. It was not something that often happened let alone was documented. He knew that Byakuya was not stupid, far from it, but something of the nature that he had described could easily be brushed over and thought to be something else. He had no reason to suspect that the truth of the matter was something that even the soutaichou would struggle to comprehend. Senbonzakura very much doubted that even in his millennia of existence that Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni had felt such a calling. Yes, the implications of such a statement worried him deeply, especially when he considered just who exactly was doing the calling.

His thoughts were broken by Byakuya, "There is something troubling you."

"Iie," the sword replied. "I am merely assimilating what you have just told me."

Byakuya did not push the subject. There was something that his zanpakutou was not telling him, something that was troubling him, but he would wait until Senbonzakura was ready to tell him what that was. After all, Kuchiki Byakuya was nothing if not a patient man. He would wait for as long as it took for his companion to share with him the problem that had him so troubled.

He doubted that it could really have anything to do with what he had told him and the events of the day that they had shared together. No, there was nothing especially shocking for his zanpakutou there, therefore the only conclusion that he could draw was that there was something happening or something that was going to happen that he was not aware of. There was not much that Byakuya wasn't aware of and Senbonzakura knew better than to try and protect him from ugly truths and the like. Whatever he was hiding could not be too serious or dangerous for him. It was not as though they were currently at war.

It had been sixty years since Aizen Sousuke had been sealed away in the deepest depths of Soul Society's prison. It had been sixty years since Byakuya had thought that he would not be able to see Kurosaki Ichigo again. It had been sixty years since Soul Society had been under any sort of threat. A lot had changed since then and yet at the same time nothing had changed at all.

The Gotei 13 itself had recovered admirably from the losses that they had suffered during the short war with Aizen and his associates. The ranks remained virtually unchanged with the exception of new taichous being appointed for both the Third Squad and the Fifth Squad, the Ninth remaining under the care of its fukutaichou, Hisagi Shuuhei. It seemed that there were virtually no Shinigami capable of achieving bankai. It was not the case of course, Byakuya was sure that most of the fukutaichous would be able to, but still the fact remained that ever since Abarai Renji had achieved bankai no other Shinigami in the Gotei 13 had. It was hardly surprising considering that there was no longer the threat of war to push people to become much stronger through the acquisition of bankai, merely a personal quest if the Shinigami was that way inclined.

Byakuya sighed. He himself was in need of a new fukutaichou and had been since Renji had been appointed the taichou of the Third Squad some twelve years previously. It appeared as if Byakuya was taking a leaf out of Thirteenth Squad taichou Ukitake Juushiro's book in his putting off of replacing his fukutaichou for so long. Naturally that was not the case. Byakuya would not accept a fukutaichou that did not meet his approval or expectations, it was as simple as that. He point blank refused to, much to the annoyance of some of the other taichous. He was a Kuchiki, he had standards.

Much had changed in the world of the living or more specifically, in Karakura Town. It was little surprise that the human world changed drastically over a relatively short period of time with the technology at their disposal, but it wasn't just that. Karakura had remained almost unchanged aesthetically speaking, but it had undergone drastic changes underneath the surface.

However the one thing that had remained a constant despite these changes was the presence of a certain Shinigami with hair of the brightest orange and the companionship of his Chappy loving best friend.

Byakuya had been sure for years that there was more than friendship between the two of them, a fact that had constantly irked him through the years, as he had believed that the former was not worthy of the latter. He had changed his mind on the matter now, knowing that if his sister was happy then he had no right to try to interfere. He had thought that he was merely protecting her at the time but now he knew different. The thought of the two of them being together still bothered him, but now he could recognise the feeling for what it was. He hadn't known what it had been when it had first surfaced years ago as it was not something that he had ever felt before. The truth of the matter was that he was jealous.


	3. Chapter Two

**A/N: **I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed, favourited and is following this story. It really makes it all worthwhile. All feedback is greatly appreciated as usual.

Special thanks to MadaMag, Alec and cloudstrifejen for all of your reviews. I hope this answers those questions that I couldn't in replies!

**Special note for this chapter: **Once you have finished this chapter you may wish to know more about certain events and actions by the characters involved. I suggest that you read the accompanying one-shot _To Have Loved_. This is by no means compulsory and the story is understandable without reading it but it adds extra info and depth. Think of it as a filler episode that you don't have to watch. Also, italics represent either thought, memories or inner world conversations. It's hopefully obvious what is happening but just a heads up.

**Chapter Two: An Old Friend**

_There is something warming about friendship and the bond it creates  
>For friendship is a bond that transcends all time and space<em>

Kurosaki Ichigo walked the streets of Karakura Town, the sun beating down upon him. The place had barely changed, aesthetically speaking, in all the time that he had lived there, merely a new convenience store popping up here and there and existing shops changing to suit their customers' ever fickle needs. It was comforting to him and yet at the same time saddening, for he was on his way to visit the only person bar his father and those at the Urahara Shoten that he had any connection to in Karakura.

Even after the war with Aizen it seemed that the place was still a hotbed for spiritual activity and so was naturally still closely monitored by Soul Society. There had been no major problems that required a full intervention thanks to the diligent work of the resident Squad, Kurosaki Isshin. Once the twins had passed on, Isshin no longer felt the need for the gigai that he had worn for so many years, and as such had agreed to aid in the protection of the town.

It was odd for Ichigo to be travelling the familiar streets without the usual consort of his friends but it was to be suspected after so long. They were only human after all. He turned a corner and slowly approached a appartment that he had visited many times in his youth. As he approached the door he wished yet again that he was visiting there under happier circumstances. Before he had a chance to knock however, the door was opened.

"Ohayo, Kurosaki-kun!"

"Ohayo, Inoue," he replied.

She turned from him and walked back in to the house knowing that he would follow behind her and close the door. She had felt her friend's reiatsu from half a mile away and had therefore prepared tea accordingly. It was almost a tradition that when he visited the tea would already be prepared and waiting for him. The house itself had barely changed from when she was a teen sixty years previously.

They seated themselves opposite each other at the small table and Orihime handed Ichigo a steaming cup of the tea that she had prepared.

"Arigato."

She smiled wanly at him.

Ichigo didn't fail to notice how strained her smile was and inwardly frowned. He knew that the years had been hard for her, especially the last decade. His visits lately had always seemed to mark an unhappy occasion for them both and he knew that it was all getting perhaps too much for her now.

They sat in silence for what seemed like an age, neither willing to broach the subject that they knew they would. Orihime took a sip of her tea.

"How have you been, Inoue?" Ichigo asked her.

"Great."

He frowned visibly this time. He knew that she was lying and doing so to prevent him from worrying about her. It had been the same for years but the action only made him worry more. Her voice held no conviction at all and he was positive that the latest happenings in Karakura Town had merely added greatly to her negative feelings. Tatsuki had been her best friend after all.

"There's no need to lie," he told her.

Orihime flushed in embarrassment.

"It's okay to be upset you know, you and Tatsuki were best friends after all."

Orihime looked at the tea before her.

"It's not really that," she said staring intently at the liquid, "I'm not that upset that Tatsuki-chan has gone. In a way, I'm sort of happy as she was only holding on so long because of me."

Ichigo knew that she felt guilty about that. Tatsuki had always protected her and looked after her, always saying that she didn't need any family because Orihime was her family. Tatsuki had wanted to protect her for as long as possible and not let her get lonely. Ichigo knew that if Orihime could have used her powers then she would have, but it seemed as though they simply couldn't turn back time. The fact that Tatsuki's departure was not the reason for her current melancholy led Ichigo to the conclusion that it had stirred up feelings and memories from sixty years previously. He sighed. He had a pretty good idea which memories Orihime was dwelling over.

"Listen Inoue, it was sixty years ago. You need to try and let go of this. He isn't coming back."

He knew it was harsh but they were no longer children, despite how they looked. He had tried countless things over the years to try and lessen the pain she felt but nothing had worked. Perhaps the direct approach would be the one to get through to her and stop her from dwelling on those events that had started in the Fifth Tower of Las Noches.

"I know," she whispered.

Silence enveloped them and Ichigo took that chance to really look at his friend. Her hair was still the same vibrant auburn that it had been when they were fifteen, yet it was a little longer in length. Everything was the same as it had been sixty years ago more or less, except for her eyes. Gone were the bright and life filled eyes that Ichigo remembered from their youth, instead in their place were shells. They were dull, almost empty. Deep down he knew that it was his fault that she was going through so much pain and he would give anything to stop her from feeling that way; but he couldn't. Nothing could bring back the dead, not even her powers. He had been on the verge of going over but it was his Hollow that had brought him back from that brink, not her.

No, she didn't quite look the same as she had sixty years ago. He wanted to help her, he really did, but the problem was that he wasn't able to be with her all the time to keep her company and keep

her mind off of such thoughts.

_Wait, maybe I can._

"Inoue, come back with me to Soul Society, even if it's just for a few days. I know that Rukia and everyone would be really happy to see you."

Ever since the end of the war with Aizen, Orihime had had a free pass to travel to Soul Society and visit the friends that she had made, provided that she was accompanied at all times. She had rarely used it and Ichigo thought that perhaps a little vacation would do her some good.

Looking at him, Orihime knew that he was worried about her and normally she would acquiesce and go with him, but not today. She had accepted long ago that once her friends had died that she would not see them, despite being sent to Soul Society. Tatsuki had been the last of them to go. It had been hard to accept at first, for both of them, until Byakuya had explained something to them.

"_If you had never heard of Soul Society, Shinigami, Hollows and never knew of their existence then when the time came for your friends and family to die you would not see them again in the human world, for they would have passed over to here. When you then died you would end up in Rukongai, but you would not find your friends and family even if you searched for them for years. Essentially, if you were normal humans then once you died you would never see them again and eventually you would lose your memories of them as they have of you. Do you understand now why you cannot seek them out? Even if you did find them they would not remember you."_

It had enabled her to come to terms with it all, but it had still been a point of despair for her friend. He had always been and always would be a protective older brother.

She couldn't go to Soul Society with him this time. She needed to be on her own for a while.

"Gomen Kurosaki-kun, but perhaps another time."

He sighed. He knew better than to try and persuade her otherwise. She had become rather stubborn in her 'old age'. He took another sip of the tea that she had prepared for them.

"Yeah, another time."

He smiled at her.

"It suits you," she said changing the subject.

Ichigo chuckled," You think? It takes some getting used to I must admit."

She smiled at him genuinely this time. "I'm sure that you'll get used to it in no time, Kurosaki-taichou"

Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck. "Nee Inoue, you know I don't like that, it makes me sound all old."

"But you are old, Kurosaki-kun," she teased.

"True."

He grinned at her. It was nice to have some semblance of the old Orihime back. She was right of course. He was old, at least by human standards, although by Soul Society's standards he supposed he looked old for his age. He was pretty sure that Hitsugaya Toushiro was more than twice his age despite looking as if he was only around fifteen.

It was now Orihime's turn to look closely at her friend. She rather liked the fact that he had allowed his hair to grow out some. It resembled how it had been just before he had lost his powers. In fact, it looked to her as if he had regained all the changes that had happened to him whilst training in the dangai. It was slightly bizarre to think that the two of them were well in to their seventies and yet still looked as if they attended high school.

"How is everyone?" she asked.

She may have isolated herself somewhat from her friends in Soul Society but it did not stop her from caring about them.

Ichigo began to regale the tales of their friends, marking them of on his fingers as he went, "Well, Rukia and Renji are still going strong and still managing to somehow keep it a secret from Byakuya…Rangiku-san still likes to skip out on the paperwork to drink sake with Kyouraku-san and the others. Nothing much changes with her really, although she'd love to know if you have any new recipes for her…I swear that Toushiro has actually grown an inch since you last saw him. And speaking of Toushiro I'm 99.9% sure that Karin has a crush on him, although she'd never admit it. Once she finishes at the Academy she's determined to get accepted in to the Tenth Squad. I'll have to keep my eye on them just to be sure…" He trailed off thinking of the ways in which he could hurt Toushiro if he laid a finger on his sister without getting in to trouble with the soutaichou.

Orihime then interrupted his thoughts with a cheery, "I'm glad that everyone is doing so well."

"Yeah, they are I guess."

She nodded.

"But what about you Kurosaki-kun?"

She may have be well known for her lack of perception but not when it came to someone that she cared about, was as close to as she was to Ichigo, someone who she had seen at their worst moments; she could always tell when he was hiding something.

Ichigo took another sip of his tea to prolong the amount of time before he would have to answer. It wasn't as though there was anything in particular that he had been deliberately hiding from her, it was just that it had not come up in conversation and he honestly didn't like talking about himself and how he felt to others. Old habits really did die hard.

"Same old, same old," he replied.

Now it was Orihime's turn to frown. She knew that it was hard for him to speak about himself to others, but there had been something bothering him since he had been made captain of the Fifth Squad six months before. He had been in a gigai the last time he had visited her upon his appointment and even then she could tell straightaway that something was bothering him.

"You shouldn't keep things hidden and bottled up so much, Kurosaki-kun. Sometimes it helps to tell people things."

He knew that she was right, but the situation in question was a difficult one to broach with anyone. He had never told anyone the full extent of what had happened when he regained his powers. As far as they knew he had made a deal with his inner Hollow to remove the 'horse and king' barrier. That was merely scratching the surface of the truth. In actuality his current problems stemmed from the process and he knew that there was nothing that he could do about it. Surely there was no need to share something that could not be resolved? His inner Hollow would have a field day at the thought. Ichigo thought of lying to her but Orihime was someone that he couldn't do that to. The cause of his problem was another.

"I don't know how to say it. I mean there is nothing I can do about it so in theory there is no need to share it, right?" he stalled.

Orihime didn't reply. She knew that she didn't need to and that the man before her would tell her in his own time.

The man in question sighed. He knew that he really should talk to someone about it and the best person, the one who would perhaps understand better than anyone was sitting in front of him. His debate with himself led not only to something that needed to be done, but also something that he didn't want to happen as the decision was taken out of his hands; the blackness seeping in to his sclera.

"What Kuro here is trying to tell you is that he's in love with someone who don't love him back."

Ichigo really hated his inner Hollow at times

"_Teme," he told him._

"_Nah, you know you love it really," his Hollow replied._

"_That doesn't really even make sense. I mean what are you even referring to?"_

"_I dunno. You just love everything about me," the Hollow said smugly._

"_Arse."_

"Ano, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime interrupted the inner conversation that Ichigo had been having.

Ichigo came back to himself and smiled sheepishly at her. His eyes had returned to their usual dusky brown and not the gold that they had been a few moments before. The removal of that barrier would get him in to some serious trouble one day, he just knew it.

"Sumimasen, Inoue."

"It's okay. Was what he said true?"

Ichigo merely nodded not daring to look at Orihime. It was downright embarrassing that he hadn't told her himself but rather someone else had. His Hollow no less.

"You should tell her."

Ichigo's head snapped up at that. _I should what? _He knew that to tell the person he was hopelessly in love with that he felt that way was practically committing suicide. Hell, he wanted to live a little bit longer and without the whole of Soul Society laughing at him to boot. Then what Orihime had actually said finally sunk in totally.

"Him."

Orihime looked puzzled for a moment. Her puzzlement then quickly turned to shock at the one simple word that Ichigo had uttered.

"You should tell him," she stated.

Ichigo shook his head.

"I'm pretty sure that he doesn't feel anything other than a tentative friendship. Even that was hard enough to get."

"You should tell him, Kurosaki-kun. You don't want to live lifetimes of regret if something happened to him and you never told him how you felt," Orihime said sadly.

Ichigo immediately felt guilty at that. He had been trying to take her mind off of her feelings and memories but he only made it worse by practically forcing her to think about them. He knew that she was right, but how did you go about telling someone that you had a tentative friendship with that you were actually in love with them? Knowing his luck, Ichigo thought that he would end up ruining what little relationship they already had.

"You're right, Inoue. I don't want to ruin anything or make him uncomfortable though."

"I'm sure you won't. After all, we are adults and we can work through and past things like this."

Ichigo merely nodded and drained the last of his tea which had started to grow rather cold. He placed the cup back down on the table before standing up. He had stayed longer than he had planned to and was certain that his desk was groaning under the weight of the paperwork waiting for him.

"Arigatou Inoue, but I should be heading back."

Orihime stood too and followed him to the door. She smiled at him as they stood on the threshold.

"I understand," she said. "Come back soon for another visit, okay."

Ichigo smiled and nodded before turning and starting to walk down the road. He hated to say goodbye to anyone and those after his visits with Inoue were short and filled with non-descript plans to visit again. Goodbyes were too final.

He had barely walked more than a few paces when Orihime called after him, "Who is it Kurosaki-kun?" her curiosity getting the better of her.

Ichigo turned around before calling back to her, "Byakuya."

* * *

><p>He had been back in Soul Society for all of thirty minutes before he found himself walking the familiar paths to the Sixth Squad barracks. It was not something that he had wanted to do after his meeting with Orihime, but it seemed that someone had accidently given him some of the Sixth Squads paperwork. and it was with some matter of urgency that it be completed. He would have sent Hinamori-fukutaichou or one of his seated officers to take them, but the documents themselves were of a sensitive nature and for the eyes of taichous only. He sighed. Kami-sama sure hated him sometimes.<p>

He strode in to the barracks, nameless Shinigami parting in the halls to let him pass with mutterings of "Kurosaki-taichou". He really didn't want to have to talk or even see the noble taichou today but it seemed as though he was forever cursed with bad luck.

Standing outside the door to the man's office he knocked three times upon it in quick succession. He waited for an answering call but none came. Suddenly cheered and thinking that perhaps the Sixth Squad taichou was not in, he gently opened the door and stepped inside. He didn't know how to feel at the sight that met his eyes.

Kuchiki Byakuya seemed to be asleep sitting upright in his chair, perfectly composed and yet at the same time totally relaxed. Ichigo was amazed. He had never seen the stoic noble so unguarded before and the image before him was one that he would never forget.

He had been attracted to the older man for years and had been in love with him for almost as long, but looking at him now, Ichigo knew that he would never love anyone else. Looking at him so unguarded, Ichigo knew that he wanted to be with him in any way possible.

Releasing a breath that he hadn't even realised he was holding on to, Ichigo gingerly made his way across the room to the noble's desk. He really didn't want to wake the other taichou even if the papers were urgent. Instead he decided to place them at the top of the almost completed pile that Byakuya had left to do, that way he was sure that the man would do them in time.

He carefully placed the documents down in front of the Sixth Squad taichou. He was about to turn away and leave the man to his rest when he was suddenly frozen in place.

"Ichigo," Byakuya sighed softly.


	4. Chapter Three

**A/N:** Once again thank you so so much to all of those who are reading, following, favouriting and of course reviewing this story.

I'd also like to apologise for the time between updates, I was MIA due to Easter and exams and also moving to another country but I'm back now so hopefully updates will be nice and quick! This chapter is a little longer than others and contains a lot of good stuff so hopefully you guys can put away your pitchforks now.

Italics for thoughts, zanpakutou and Hollow conversations, as well as to denote if Ichigo or his Hollow are in control. _Ichigo_ will refer to the Ichigo we all know as Ichi. It should be obvious what is happening, but just in case.

**Chapter Three: Revelations**

_The things that you know to be true are those that will shock you the most_

Byakuya was indeed jealous of the close relationship that his sister and the object of his affection shared. Of course, it was entirely his own fault that they did not share a similar connection, but he would never admit that. It was hardly surprising either that the two were close after everything that they had been through. He liked to think that he at least had a friendship with the orange haired Shinigami, but again due to his own actions and the personality that he outwardly displayed, perhaps it was only tentative at best. Despite all this though, it did not lessen his feelings of jealousy. He was sure that there was something between the two of them that went beyond friendship, and as much as the thought pained him, if they sort his blessing then he would give it. He would give anything to make the one he loved happy.

"What are you going to do, Byakuya?"

"What do you mean?"

Senbonzakura looked out towards the pond as he answered, "What do you intend to do about the situation?"

Byakuya's brow furrowed. He had thought that he had made himself perfectly clear on the matter, but clearly his zanpakutou needed to be told again.

"You should say something to him," his companion continued.

He did not reply for a moment, sure that he had not clearly heard Senbonzakura. The silenced that reigned seemed only to confirm that he had indeed heard correctly.

"You cannot be serious, Senbonzakura!"

"I would never joke about anything of this nature, you know that."

Byakuya sighed. He did indeed know that. Senbonzakura would never make light of anything serious, especially something of such a sensitive nature, when it came to his master. He glanced forwards across the pond of his inner world, contemplating that which his zanpakutou had said. His certainty in the fact that Ichigo had feelings for his sister prevented him from even seriously contemplating doing such a thing. It would be one of the most idiotic things that he could do and a Kuchiki was not allowed to be idiotic.

"Regardless, you know my thoughts on doing such a thing," he told Senbonzakura.

"I know your delusions on the matter too," he replied.

Byakuya sent his companion a withering look. There were only two people who get him to drop his facade out of sheer annoyance: his zanpakutou and Kurosaki Ichigo.

Senbonzakura on the other hand merely confirmed that which he had suspected to be the case. If Byakuya had any true understanding of the calling that he was feeling then he would be instantly dissuaded from such morose thoughts.

"Not to mention what the elders would have to say on such a matter," Byakuya continued.

If he would not have been berated on the act, Senbonzakura would have snorted. Instead, he merely said with much mirth, "Since when have you actually listened or cared about what the elders had to say, Byakuya?"

Byakuya resisted the urge to glare at his zanpakutou. Sometimes he wished that his sword had a more restrained temprement, yet at the same time he was glad that Senbonzakura was the way that he was as he reminded the noble of his youth.

"You know full well what objections will be raised if such a thing were to occur. I would not be surprised if they sought to remove me as the twenty-eighth Head..."

This time the spirit did snort; he could not help it any longer. "You know full well that they would not seek to remove you unless you actually broke the law." He pondered momentarily before continuing, "In fact, even then I am sure that they would fight to rescind any punishment or lessen it. You are a valuable Head after all."

Again, Byakuya knew that his zanpakutou was correct. There was no use in him hiding behind such feeble attempts to his other half for he could always see through them. Truthfully, Byakuya did not really care what the elders thought, despite the small amount of power that they held. He was the twenty-eighth Head of the noble Kuchiki Clan. He had always been proud to be a Kuchiki and yet at the same time he was increasingly becoming less and less impressed with the elders views on matters. Perhaps he had let them have their way for too long? Regardless, he would not say anything. Whether the elders would be a problem for him or not did not change a thing, for he would not tell of his innermost feelings to a single soul other than Senbonzakura. He could not stand to get his heart rejected again.

The was a slight shift in the gentle breeze that was blowing across the plane, Byakuya's silken strands softly undulating behind him. Petals began to fall and sway in the wind from the tree beneath which they were sitting. The breeze was not only gentle but warm too, carrying with it the refreshing and addictive scent of citrus and something unidentifiable. It was a scent that was permanently etched in to the noble's brain, one that he could never forget after his battle on Soukyoku Hill. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply of it.

"Ichigo," he softly sighed.

* * *

><p>Ichigo stood frozen. He was seriously struggling to process what he had just heard. He was pretty sure that Byakuya had just said his name. In his sleep. In fact, he hadn't just said it, he had sighed it. Not the exasperated sigh that he was oh so familiar with, but it was soft, gentle and caressing, almost as if he was saying his lover's name. Ichigo's eyes widened at his thought process. <em>Just what kind of dream could Byakuya be having? And what the hell happened to Kurosaki?<em>

He straightened up and wondered what to do. He did not want to wake the noble that was for sure. The orange haired Shinigami had no idea how to handle what had just happened. Did it mean that perhaps his feelings were returned in some way? He had resigned himself to be pining after the stoic taichou forevermore and yet now he was beginning to hope that it would no longer be the case. He needed to leave now before he was forced in to a conversation that would no doubt not only be incredibly awkward but that would crush him also. He needed to depart both quickly and quietly.

He turned slowly and began to move towards the door as silently as possible. For the millionth time since he had come to permanently reside in Soul Society, he cursed the fact that Byakuya's desk was so far from the entrance to his offfice. He managed to make it halfway to his destination, and freedom, before he stopped dead in terror.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, what do you think that you are doing?"

Ichigo turned around almost robotically, his customary scowl gone and replaced by a goofy grin. _So much for Ichigo_, he thought.

"Byakuya, I only came to drop off some paperwork that for some reason was meant for you but had been sent to me by mistake, and I didn't want to wake you up because if you're falling asleep at your desk then you're obviously sleeping badly at home, which means that you really need your rest and so I left the papers on your desk and was trying to leave really quietly so that you wouldn't wake up, because you're obviously really, super tired and..."

"Enough."

Ichgio snapped his mouth shut.

Byakuya was sure that if he let the Shinigami before him continue to blather on nonsensically then he would end up with a killer migraine. He had enough problems thanks to the orangette without adding any more to the ever growing list. In all honesty, the last thing that he wanted was to see Ichigo after the events that had just transpired in his inner world. Evidently, Kami-sama hated him. Not only that, but the Sixth Squad taichou was more than a little embarassed at the fact that Ichigo had come upon him in such a state of vulnerability.

Ichigo himself remained silent. He could not seem to get out of his mind the sigh that he had heard escape from Byakuya's mouth only moments before. No, it was not only the sigh but the entirety of the noble, his features relaxed, no stern or dissaproving expression upon his face; a small smile, eyes closed, the epitomy of content. It was more than that though, for when the noble was in such a state he seemed to radiate an aura that made Ichigo not only at peace himself, but also made him want the other taichou all the more.

His sense of peace had quickly fled the moment that Byakuya had noticed his presence. He felt that now would perhaps be a brilliant time for him to make his depature, before he made even more of a fool of himself, or perhaps even got in to yet another argument with the noble.

"Well I left that paperwork on your desk so I'll be going...uh...now."

He turned to leave without further ado, his Hollow cackling maniacly in his head as he went. He prepared to slide open the door, his hand resting upon the frame when two things happened simultaneously: his Hollow decided to make a delightful appearance, one that happened to coincide with, "Wait."

If Byakuya could have put his hand over his mouth then he would have no doubt done so, but a Kuchiki could never do such a thing as uncivilised and common as that. He had no idea what had actually possessed him to say that one simple word but he evidently was not acting as his usual self. If he was honest, he had perhaps said it because he wanted Ichigo to stay. In fact, he never wanted Ichigo to ever leave his presence, but as was his want he would never admit that. Instead, he looked up from the pattern of the dark, oak wood of his desk to look in to the soft, brown eyes of the Shinigami before him.

_Ichigo_ looked in to the smoking grey eyes of the Kuchiki noble, his black and gold eyes taking in the subtle hints of surprise uopn his face. He cracked out his trademark grin. Oh how he loved to mess with people that thought they knew _his_ Ichigo. Sure, Ichi would have his arse for it later, but until then he was going to make sure that he had a little fun. Besides, there was only so much he could take of Ichi's "oh woe is me" attitude where it concerned the Shinigami taichou before him. He was sick of constantly being caught in the drenching, freezing rain of Ichi's inner world.

"Why are you here?"

_Ichigo_ was struck from his diabolical musings by the question. Now how much could he get away with saying?

"Old man Kuro doesn't let me out enough anymore. Tch, was your bad timing that even made you see," he replied, slowly heading back towards the desk that Byakuya was seated behind. He stopped perhaps a metre away before continuing, "'Sides, s'not like me and you have had a nice chat or anything since Soukyoku. So how ya been, Bya-chan?"

To his credit, Byakuya hid his annoyance extremely well. He was aware, of course, that Ichigo's reiatsu had changed slightly since regaining his powers all those years ago, but he had thought that it was simply due to the fact that he had truly mastered and had his inner Hollow in control. Evidently, he appeared to be wrong.

"I had thought that Kurosaki had finally managed to keep you under control. It seems that I was sorely mistaken."

_Ichigo_ instantly came to the conclusion that Byakuya would be difficult to get a rise out of, his years of self control and emotional isolation making him one tough nut to crack. _Ichigo_ relished the challenge. Either that or the noble was incredibly stupid. He and Ichi had already had to tell the soutaichou and other taichou sixty years ago how Ichi had managed to regain his powers. He sincerely hoped that Byakuya wasn't stupid.

"You already know about the barrier removal so why even bother asking, eh? I'd love to say that I took control away cause he's a little weakling, but Ichi don't want me lying again after what happened last time, so like a good little horse I'll listen to him."

Whilst Byakuya was mightily curious over the last time that _Ichigo_ spoke of, he deferred it in favour of repeating his earlier question.

"Why are you here, then?"

_Ichigo_ chuckled as he stepped closer still until he was barely a foot away from the desk that acted as a barrier between him and his prey. His tongue peeked out to wet his lips. Byakuya did not fail to notice the action.

It was one of the few times in his life that Byakuya actually felt threatened in a plapable way. He knew the powers that _Ichigo_ held. and though he was loathe to admit it, he was incredibly wary of the being. He suddenly realised how utterly prone and defenceless to an attack he was sitting behind the desk. Using a shunpo that even the Goddess of Flash would find difficult to follow, he placed himself between _Ichigo_ and the desk, hand hovering over the hilt of Senbonzakura.

_Ichigo_ couldn't help but cackle at the nobles actions. He had barely even registered the shunpo that the man had used, but the stance that he now took was too funny for him. Did the taichou plan on fighting him?

"What are you going to do now, Kuchiki Byakuya? Are you going to run me through with your zanpakutou; going to slice me in to pieces?" He held his arms out to the sides, goading the noble to do so. "Do it. I'm nothing more than a filthy Hollow, right? Purify me then."

They stared at each other intently, Byakuya looking deep in to the golden eyes before him, almost as if he was searching for the honey brown that he knew should be residing there. He slowly removed his hand from where it had been sitting, bringing it to rest at his side. He could not admit it but he would not, could never do such a thing to _Ichigo_, for no matter how much he may detest the creature, he was still a part of _his_ Ichigo, the man that he loved.

"You have not yet done anything to warrant such action from me."

_Ichigo_ lowered his arms and grinned. He had gambled a hell of a lot on that singular action, his and Ichi's existence being first and foremost. He knew a lot more about their past than Ichi did and knew that some form of test would be necessary for the noble Shinigami. What he had not planned however, was to be conducting such a test quite yet. He had been convinced that Byakuya had not yet begun to feel anything for his King, but the events of the day had only served to prove him wrong. Knowing now that Byakuya would no longer be able to harm him or Ichi in such a way, he felt that there was a hell of a lot more fun to be had with Bya-chan. After all, Byakuya wasn't the only one who could shunpo like a God.

"Hmm? You're much more interesting than I thuoght, Bya-chan. Who would have thought that you of all people would pass up the chance to get rid of me, nee?"

"As I said, you have done nothing to warrant such action from me."

_Ichigo_ grinned once more.

"And what if I was to do this?" he countered, shunpoing the short distance between them, effectively trapping Byakuya between himself and the desk, his arms reaching around either side of the noble to bring his hands to rest upon the smooth wood of the desk.

Byakuya gulped. He still was unable to do anything to _Ichigo_. Despite the fact that it was the Hollow in control of the body at the moment, it did not feel as such to him. The essence of Ichigo was still the same and the very proximity of such essence, the overpowering pressure of it, had Byakuya paralysed to the spot.

"You have done nothing to warrant such action from me," he managed to get out.

_Ichigo_ inwardly smirked. Now things were definitely getting fun.

"_Shiro, let me back out this instant!"_

He inwardly cackled. _"No way Ichi, I'm having way too much fun with this."_

"_Stop it, you're going to ruin everything."_

"_Or maybe I'll just make it better."_

"_Shiro...SHIRO!"_

He tuned Ichi out so that he could better concentrate on his task. It seemed that perhaps he wouldn't be able to have as much fun with the noble as he had wanted, but that mattered little in the grand scheme of things. He would make sure to leave them both something to remember.

He leaned closer until he was breathing in the scent of the Sixth Squad taichou. He breathed lightly on the shell of Byakuya's ear whispering, "And what if I do _this_?" He licked Byakuya's ear seductively whilst handing control back to Ichigo.

Byakuya had to tell himself that this was not Ichigo no matter how much it felt like him, no matter how much he wished that it could be him. He opened his eyes, not even reaslising that he had closed them let alone when, to be greeted by warm, brown eyes looking intently in to his own. He blinked momentarily to ensure that what he was seeing before him was indeed true. There was no doubt in his mind that _his_ Ichigo had returned. He was plagued however, over just when Ichigo had claimed back control. Although he logically knew that it was probably after the events that had just transpired, it did not stop him from wishing that it was not the case, that it had been all Ichigo and not _Ichigo_.

They stared at each other for what seemed to be an age before Byakuya felt the need to break the silence between them.

"Ichi..."

"Gomen," Ichigo interrupted softly, his eyes downcast refusing to look Byakuya in the eye any longer. "Gomen"

He turned quickly and walked out of the office before Byakuya even had so much as a chance to stop him. He stood there still frozen to the spot, his right ear burning where Ichigo had touched it. He managed to keep himself composed until he had seated himself back within his chair behind the desk. He had only just truly admitted to himself that he was in love with the Fifth Squad taichou before _that_ had happened. It was rare that he was unable to formualte any semblance of thought or movement, yet nothing more than a simple position had him struggling to form coherent thought let alone speak. Did these actions mean that Ichigo perhaps felt the same away about him? No, that could not be the case as it was not Ichigo that had done anything. _He apologised_, his mind reminded him. It was true, if the Shinigami did have any sort of romantic feeling towards him then he would not have apologised. However, the manner of apology left Byakuya even more confused. He had seemed so submissive and almost forlorn in his manner and tone. It was an entirely all too confusing matter, one that he could ill afford to make a mistake in.

_Perhaps dwelling on this matter is not necessarily the best thing for you to be doing at the moment, Byakuya,_ Senbonzakura said internally.

Byakuya himself could see the merit in following his zanpakutou's advice, and yet he could not keep his mind from the matter. He glanced over his desk unseeingly until the pile of paperwork there brought him back from his musings a little.

_Of course, was it not paperwork that he had brought with him?_ He asked himself.

Yes, good old paperwork, the old fail safe for when one wanted to not think upon matters and wished to enter in to mind-numbingness. Paperwork could only be a good thing right now. He reached for the first sheaf of work upon the pile, once again slightly irked at the inefficientness of not only the lower ranks of Shinigami, but also the Eighth Squad taichou. Was it really so much to ask that the right paperwork went to the correct Squad? The situation only aided in reminding him that he himself had a small stack of work that needed to be delivered to the Third Squad and its taichou. Yes, a short surprise visit to his old fukutaichou would be sure to lift his spirits. First though, he would finish the last of his own paperwork.

His hand moved gracefully across the page almost with a feminine quality to it. He smudged not a single character as he lost himself in the almost theraputic monotony of signing his name and filling out the usual forms that came with his position. The minutes ticked by rapidly as Byakuya's mind became blank and his body carried on mechanically with his task. It did not take him long to complete the extra work that he had been given, until only the papers for the Third Squad remianed upon his desk. Glancing at the clock upon the wall he summised that he had managed to whittle away almost an hour in mind-numbed bliss. He placed his ink pen back upon its stand and closed the lid on the small well of black ink. It seemed that whilst the paperwork had succeeded in doing what he had wanted, he perhaps wished that it could have worked for a while longer. He let a gentle sigh escape before proceeding to seize the papers that did not belong to his Squad and swiflty exiting the Sixth Squad barracks.

The location of his former fukutaichou's barracks was over the other side of Seireitei, leaving Byakuya a chance to admire the mid Spring weather, including the fall of the sakura, as he walked. He surrepticiously breathed deeply of the scent that enveloped him. It was both his favourite and least favourite time of the year. There were so many memories connected with the season, one perhaps his most treasured; the other his most devestating. Yes, the Spring was rather bittersweet for one Kuchiki Byakuya.

His arrival at the Third Squad barracks created little fanfare, unless you would call countless Shinigami running to hide from him, fanfare. If he could have he would have chuckled at their antics. Such reactions never failed to amuse him for they only sought to prove just how successful he was with his demeanour. It was especially helpful when he wished to arrive at his destination unannounced, much as he wanted to do today. After all, where was the fun in Renji being pre-warned of his arrival?

He arrived at the correct door to lead in to the Third Squad taichou's office. Byakuya softly slid open the door. He was not ready for the sight that met his eyes. He shut the door just as softly and slightly shook his head to clear the image that had just burned itself in to his retinas. He surely could not have seen _that_. There was clearly no actual way that such a thing was occurring. Determined that he was merely overtired and therefore imagining things, he slid open the door again.

He definitely was not dreaming. He was pretty much one hundred percent sure that his uniform clad sister was sitting on the taichou's desk with said taichoustanding between her spread legs; one hand upon her hips, the other woven in to her short, black hair. As if the position alone was not disconcerting enough for the noble, the the act itself in which they were engaging had him reaching for his zanpakutou. He did not ever remember giving his permission for Rukia to do such a thing. Neither of the two engaged Shinigami seemed to notice the addition of Byakuya. Having seen enough, the noble cleared his throat. Surprised, Rukia ripped her lips away from her partners and whipped her head towards the door before gasping, "Nii-sama!"


End file.
